ARKIS
Specimen record from patient undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. The data in this record was collected from a Datex 'AS3' monitor and a Sarns 9000 Heart:lung machine.
Download Evaluation version or upgrade Arkis from Ulco Medical PL
Extracts from the ARKIS Help-file are shown below. The user interface and pricing of ARKIS can be viewed as separate documents.
Overview
The ARKIS (Anaesthetic Record
Keeper & Information System) recorder is a fully featured anaesthesia
charting and recording system intended for use as a personal anaesthetic record
keeper. The application interfaces with a wide variety of anaesthetic devices via serial
communication interface(s). The system can handle data input from multiple
devices simultaneously and combines these data into a single, coherent data
stream.
Whichever device or monitoring system is used to acquire the data, a consistently formatted, encrypted data file is produced for each anaesthetic record. The encrypted data records cannot be read by any computer program other than the recorder itself. Tampering with the original record will render it unreadable by the record keeper. The size of the data file is determined by the number and type of monitoring devices which are attached to the system and the charting frequency which is chosen. A typical anaesthetic averages ~ 20-25 Kb/hour.
The recorder provides the user with a means of fully documenting any general or regional anaesthetic. A variety of tools are available for reviewing and inspecting the data both during and after the procedure and the user can produce a printed anaesthetic chart at any time. The system is capable of simultaneously displaying a large number of trended variables.
Spurious values in the automatically acquired data can be edited. Original data points are not lost in the editing process and can be produced as an ASCII textfile should the need arise. The text file includes an audit trail.
The record can also be converted to a variety of database and spreadsheet formats. Selected procedural and biographic data are added to a Borland 'Paradox' database when a case is recorded and selected data can be downloaded to a fixed format, comma de-limited ASCII text file if necessary.
Graphical displays can be scrolled and / or sized independently on the X and Y axes over a very wide resolution range. When the anaesthetic record is printed, the current X and Y parameter settings are used.
All the features of a typical Windows application are retained. Thus the application can be run in 'iconic' mode and re-activated by standard means, and the window can be re-sized as necessary. ARKIS also offers the user several on-line tools intended to enhance the conduct of anaesthesia. Depending on the modules which have been purchased, these enhancements may include:
A Scientific Reference Database
Generator.
An Anaesthesia Billing System.
The Australian Medicare Schedule.
System operation can be made considerably more efficient by the use of function keys and shortcuts and the system can be 'tuned' to individual needs by the use of template files, the 'Drop List Editor' and the 'Drug and Fluid Option Editor.
As a research tool, the recorder can be of most use when
the
System operation can be made considerably more efficient if you learn how to use function keys, shortcuts and template files. Most of the dialog box options can be configured by the user, so you should also understand how to edit the drop down lists and fluid and drug option lists so as to 'tune' the system to your needs. Read about each of these before using the system.
As a research tool, the recorder can be of most use when the download textfile option is used. Any combination of selected variables can be outputted to an ASCII textfile in standard format for importation into a spreadsheet program and subsequent analysis.
Drivers for other devices including heart:lung machines, infusion pumps and other anaesthesia-related equipment can be supplied on request.
The current version of the program is written in 32 bit code.
System
Requirements
The minimum requirement for the
ARKIS recorder is an IBM 486 based PC running Microsoft Windows 95 (or later)
on a VGA display in enhanced mode. The machine should have a minimum of 8
megabytes of memory, but, like many things in life, 'more is better'. A colour
screen is ideal but not essential. The serial ports should be high speed (16550
UART). The program has been written in Delphi running under Windows NT v 4.0.
Printed output is produced on any graphical device which can generate an output of at least 300 dpi on A4 or US letter sized paper. The printed record can be previewed before printing and colour devices are supported. A mouse or other compatible pointing device is recommended although the keyboard can be used to access all functions except for the data point editing.
A typical minimum template would consist of a 486 notebook computer and a Canon Bubblejet printer. A more appropriate configuration (that used by the programmers) would be a Pentium notebook with at least 32 Mb of RAM and PCMCIA serial port and network cards.
Device Interfaces
The ARKIS system can interface with multiple devices
simultaneously. At the present time, these devices include:
Bentley Oxysat monitor,
Datex AS3 anaesthesia monitor,
Datex Cardiocap II monitor,
Datex Capnomac Ultima monitor,
Graseby 3400 series infusion pump,
Marquette 7000, 8000, 9000 series monitors,
Sarns 8000 heart lung machine,
Sarns 9000 heart lung machine,
Ulco anaesthesia work station.
Template files
Template files are used by the system to store an
individual's regular practices for different procedures. The data which are
stored include all the entries in the 'Notes' tabbed notebook with the exception
of the patient data such as name, first name, age, etcetera which are contained
on the 'Biographic Data' page. (The only exception to this is that a default sex
can be stored - thus making it possible to configure an obstetric or
gynaecological procedure). All other data can be recorded in the template
file.
In order to create a template, set up all the entries on the pages of the 'Notes' tabbed notebook in a way which is appropriate for a particular anaesthetic. Leave fields blank if you do not wish to have default entries in the particular field. Now select the template store option in the clinical notes and store the file under a suitable, (eg ANEURYSM.TPL or EPIDURAL LSCS.TPL).
The template can subsequently be retrieved by
selecting the
There is a special template file (ARKIS.CON) which is used to record the last used template of the current calendar day. This file is automatically loaded at start up, but has no effect if it does not have a date stamp equal to the current date. (ie The system will 'remember' who is using the machine today, but will revert to the basic default entries if used on a new day.) The ARKIS.CON file should generally not be overwritten, but you will not create any mischief if you do so.
If used properly, template files can greatly facilitate the process of automatic record keeping.
Templates - Storing
To store a template, select the
With the exception of the Biographic data, all data contained in the clinical case notes is stored in the template.
Templates - Retrieving
A template file can be retrieved selecting the
LST
Files
LST Files are text files which control the
available selections for the dialog boxes which are used by the system. - Thus,
for example, the list of anaesthetists who can feature as '1st Anaesthetist' is
contained in the LST file ANAES1.LST. The files can be directly edited with a
text editor such as 'Notepad', but it is far safer and easier to make
alterations 'on the fly' using the drop down list editing technique.
Similarly, changes to drug, fluid or results options are more safely made using the drug option editing technique rather than by fiddling about with a text editor. It should be noted that this version of the program does not check for the integrity of the LST files.